In the Mind of an Assassin
by Symbotica
Summary: On hold right now...I'll finish it eventually...: ViciousOC
1. Prologue

The Fine Print:  
I do not, unfortunately, own Cowboy Bebop. The only thing I own is Celest Knight. This has probably been done... so if it has I apologize. On with the show:  
Prologue  
  
"You did a great job Celest...this last assignment...I'll be honest with you, I didn't think even you could pull it off." Said Alex, her boss. He had shifty eyes, and they were especially hard for her to read. She had a hard time trusting him...then again in her business she didn't trust anyone. He also had a personality that was quote, "off the charts." He could be your best friend in one instance and your worst enemy the next.   
  
  
"Thank you," she replied sweetly...that's what her boss liked, she would do her job, and then act innocent, like she wasn't a cold-blooded killer. Then she would leave and nearly vomit from having to put on such a show. But the pay was good and being an assassin was exhilarating so she stayed with it.  
  
  
"I will inform you when your next hit comes up. Until then..."he trailed off, pausing to stand up and walked to Celest. He was about three inches taller than she, and so when he stood on front of her, she had to tilt her head up so she could look into his face. "You know...I've always wanted you..." he stopped, putting his hand on her ass.   
  
  
She could have ripped him apart, killed him in less than three seconds, but the show was still going on, so she endured it. She giggled quietly... "puke," she thought. Why did she do this to herself, was she really that desperate for money? She lowered her head and pretended to blush, smiling shyly. He moved his free hand and lifted her chin, she looked into his eyes, she hadn't noticed before but had to admit that he had nice eyes...a beautiful shade of dark blue that contrasted well with his dark brown hair. But that didn't change the fact that he was a lecherous bastard.  
  
  
He slowly bent his head down, preparing to kiss her...   
"Alex..." she pretended to be speechless. Then there was a quick knock on the door and his secretary entered...   
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt you..."She said with a quick pang of jealousy running across her face. It was no secret that they had slept together but that didn't make her any less of a Godsend. Alex pulled away quickly. She still didn't know what she would have done, had he actually kissed her. She could probably guess though... kick the shit out of him.   
She laughed and smiled inwardly.   
"Oh Jenny," he said smoothly, "What is it?" " A mister Jansen is here to see you." "Ah! Okay, thank you Jen." He replied.   
"Well, I guess I should get going... long day ahead of me." Celest said as though she was disappointed. "Of course..." Alex said running his hand through his mop of hair and walked over to his desk. He then handed her the check for her services. He winked and she smiled again, then turned on her heel and walked out of the room.  
  
  
She closed the door and made her way out of the tall building. "How did he become the CEO of this computer software company?" She asked herself. Which brought her to her next question... she "worked" for a software company. How did that work? She never really got information on the people she was to hit. Only that they had make a "mistake," and she was to rectify that. She wasn't paid to ask questions though, so she just did it.  
  
  
Her musings were interrupted when she found herself right next to her car. She drove a Maclaren F1. It was sleek and black. She had equipped it with all kinds of gadgets, guns, and explosives and had done work on the engine with all kinds of illegal parts. She usually paid off the cops if they ever got the nerve to pull her over.   
  
  
Rummaging in her purse, her fingers wrapped themselves around her keys. She got out her remote and unlocked her car. Suddenly she felt a vibration and heard a ringing from her purse. Before the first ring was finished she had her cell phone out and had it answered.   
"Hello?" she asked timidly. "I have a job for you..." a man's voice said quietly into the phone. "Who is this?" Celest asked because she didn't recognize the voice. She kept her own voice low and calm. She never let herself show and sign of weakness. "You don't need to know... yet." Was his reply, "I want you to meet one of my employees at 10:00 p.m. this evening at Café Monet." He said in the same quiet voice. "What if I decline?" Came her smug reply.  
  
  
All of a sudden she felt a cold metal object at the base of her neck. "We insist..." Said a man's voice from behind her, then she heard the quiet "click" as he cocked his gun...  
  
A/N: Cliffhanger...Ooooo! Anyway, Please read and review, tell me if I should go on...or just quit while I'm behind? Flames accepted... This is a Vicious/ OC (Celest) story...may also contain some Spike/Faye. Who knows??? 


	2. The Meeting

Disclaimer:  
Once again, I don't own Cowboy Bebop, but I would love to own Spike and Vicious ; )  
  
A/N: Thank you Celebrial for your review. It really helps to keep writing when people review!   
Also I'm not really sure, when in the "Cowboy Bebop" universe this is, but if I had to choose I would have to say around "Ballad of Fallen Angels."   
  
Chapter 1  
  
Last Time:  
  
Suddenly, she felt a cold metal object at the base of her neck... "We insist..." Came a man's voice from behind her, then she heard a quiet "click" as he cocked the gun...  
  
On with the show:  
  
"So you see, we have the upper hand." Said the man's voice came from behind her. "Shit," she thought, but continued to keep her voice and face straight. The man removed the gun from her head and moved closer to her. In fact he was almost pressing himself against her. He put his arm around her neck almost as if he was going to strangle her.  
  
"Bad move," she thought. She shifted her weight, threw her leg in the air, up by her head and nailed him right in the nose. There was a small shriek of surprise from him as he stumbled backwards holding his face.   
  
He finally gathered his footing. "Bitch!" He yelled. "What the..." Celest didn't allow him to finish, she turned around fast, moved closer to him and used her palm to hit his nose into his skull. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed in a heap.  
  
Celest heard chuckling on the other end of the phone. "What do you want?" She asked as though nothing had happened. As though she hadn't broken his nose by shoving it into his brain.   
  
"Just meet him at Café Monet at 10:00. He will explain everything."  
  
"Fine..." She paused, "I'll be there." She finished.   
  
"Good, the man you are to meet, his name is Vicious. He will tell you what is going on. Then we'll take it from there." He said and hung up the phone.  
  
It was eight o'clock, so she had two hours to get something to wear. Café Monet wasn't exactly the cheapest place to eat. And what about "Vicious?" "What kind of name is that?" She thought out loud. She had to pick something comfortable and yet not casual.  
  
She had found something good to wear. She didn't know what kind of people she was going to get involved with, especially with a guy named Vicious. So she wore black leather pants that weren't conforming, and yet showed off her curves. A white V-neck halter, and black hiking boots. She wore a silver choker that featured an ankh. To top it off she wore her Black Trench coat.  
  
She tied her Jet Black (pun intented :)) hair into a lose bun with chopsticks. Which kept her hair out of her dark green eyes. With one last glance in the mirror she picked up her keys, with 20 minutes until she was to meet Vicious, it would take her a solid 15 minutes to get there so she was cutting it kind of close.  
  
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As Vicious sat down at a table in the corner, he pulled out Celest's folder. The Red Dragon's had been following her closely for the past six months. Mao Yenrei, said that they needed to have her as a Red Dragon. What he didn't understand was, why was she so special? What made her more special than other assassins? And why would he have to work with her if she accepted the job?  
  
He glanced at the archive picture of her. He had to admit, she was very beautiful. Unlike the few other women in the syndicate, she had a different quality about her. She was dangerous, he knew that and hadn't even met her yet.  
  
He smiled his arrogant smile, "This may be fun..." He said to no one in particular.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She arrived five minutes early (she was speeding like crazy). She had the valet drive her car away and tipped him $20.00 to make sure it wouldn't be touched. She winked at him and walked into the building. As he stood there, mouth wide open.  
  
She entered and was immediately greeted by the Matre-D. "I'm here to meet someone..." She started "Ah! You must be here to meet Vicious. Follow me." He said as he began to lead her to the table.   
  
There he was, looking at her. He sat at the corner table. She noticed his attire... "He's a Red Dragon!" She thought to herself. "What am I getting myself into?"  
  
The first thing she noticed about him were his ice blue eyes. They were cold and had no feeling. A few strands of his white hair hung into his eyes. He stood up to greet her...  
  
"Here is your table miss..." the matre-D said, taking her coat and left.  
"I've been looking forward to this meeting, Miss Knight." He smiled. She noticed his voice was low and cold, just like his smile. "Hmmm..." She thought to herself, "He's not so tough..." She smiled back and added a "Nice to meet you too, Vicious..." He walked around her and pulled out her chair for her. "Thank you," she said quietly. Then he sat down and began telling her about the hit...  
  
  
A/N: I had to re-upload this chapter because it didn't turn out the way I thought...sorry, no changes were made to the actual chapter! 


	3. Getting Together

Disclaimer:   
I think you know by now that I do not own Cowboy Bebop...  
  
A/N: Thank you Maruken, Pink-Pooglie, and Tania for your reviews...I agree that there are not enough Vicious fics out there! That's why I'm writing this one.  
Keep those reviews coming!  
  
Anyway, I noticed (only after I up-loaded) in the first actual chapter that the format is kind of messed up...won't let it happen again...I promise. Also, about the McLaren F1...just pretend they have those in the future...even though production on them stopped in '98.   
  
Another thing...about Spike, he's up with Faye, bounty hunting away. (I'm a poet and I didn't even realize it. He he he Rommie ) I know it's weird and therefore this story is basically an A/U...so just assume that Julia is dead. Okay, enough ranting...  
Chapter 2: Getting Together  
  
Last time:  
  
"Hmmm..." She thought to herself, "He's not so tough..." She smiled back and added a "Nice to meet you too, Vicious..." He walked around her and pulled out her chair for her. "Thank you," she said quietly. Then he sat down and began telling her about the hit...  
  
On with the show:  
  
"I can tell by your expression that you have figured out that I am from the Red Dragons." Vicious paused as the waitress came with the menus. "I'll be right back to take your drink orders." She smiled and left them.  
  
"I think you owe me some kind of explanation...Why did you and your people choose me? What makes me so important that I would stand out in a crowd of assassins? You must have your own people..." Celest stated.  
  
Vicious didn't know the answer to her questions either, so he just slyly changed the subject.   
  
"You are asking the wrong questions, miss Kni-." He was interrupted.  
  
"Please, just call me Celest..." She trailed off when she noticed that she had cut him off. "Oops," she thought.  
  
"Alright, Celest...the questions I think you should be asking are not 'why,' or 'what,' but 'who.'" He said with an almost sadistic smile. Oddly enough he didn't scare her, and she let him see it.  
  
The waitress returned to get their drink orders. Vicious had ordered a bottle of some kind of wine...Celest didn't hear, she was too busy looking at Vicious.  
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Vicious POV  
  
"Hmmm...This is interesting," he thought. "There is something not right here." He had felt it when she had entered the place. She elicited a strange feeling. She was smart, pretty, and deadly, every other woman in the syndicate was the same, then what was different about her? She wasn't like those other women, he had to find out...  
  
Vicious quickly snapped out of his reverie, because he caught himself staring at her...although she wasn't looking at him...  
  
Vicious followed the trail of her eyes; it led to one of the exits. "Hn..." He smiled. He remembered Mao, when he was younger telling him to always be aware of the exits. Never leave yourself trapped.  
  
That moment she turned back to Vicious. He faced her and cleared his throat. Something told her that he was normally not like this...  
  
  
"The target is a man by the name of Max Collins. He is a high ranking officer in the White Tiger Syndicate." He began.  
  
"Oh, I see, he made a "mistake," and you want me to remedy that...",letting her sarcasm get the better of her. He chuckled. Usually he killed people on the spot for a comment like that...most people didn't have the guts to be a smart-ass in front of a ranking officer, but then again...she was different.  
  
Their wine arrived and the waitress asked for their orders. When they were finished, she promptly left.  
  
"As I was saying...Max Collins will be at the Winter Garden at 9:00 p.m. tomorrow for a meeting with the higher-ups of the syndicate. That is when we are to hit our target." He finished.  
  
"Understood." Came her reply. "Wait a minute...WE are to hit OUR target?" she waited for his reply, when it didn't come she continued, "Am I going to be working with you?"  
  
"I know, I know...it is highly unorthodox, but considering you have never worked for a syndicate before...we cannot afford any mistakes..." he paused.  
  
"I'm not working for the syndicate, no one ever said anything about working with the syndicate." She said, for the first time letting a little emotion show.   
  
"Consider this an audition. If you don't screw up, my boss may want to induct you..." he said.   
  
The look on her face was priceless. It was mixed with shock, curiosity, and was it? Was it fear? "No," he said to himself. "It can't be..."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Celest POV  
  
This wasn't happening. She had heard stories about people in the syndicate. If you tried to get out, they would kill you. She didn't want this. She was a freelance assassin, and assassin for hire. She only said she worked for the company, because they gave her most of her hits.  
  
But then again part of her was saying "Could be fun..." Unfortunately, against Celest's better judgment that part won out...  
  
"An audition, huh?" she questioned. Any trace of indecision on her face disappeared quickly. Almost too quickly, that Vicious thought he had imagined it. A smirk now covered her face.  
  
Their food came shortly after that. They ate in silence. Every once in a while Celest would quickly glance up at Vicious. She was trying to read his face, but soon found it impossible. Slowly the Café began to empty and they were one of the few people still left.  
  
When they were done, Vicious led the way out of the place. The matre-d returned her coat. Vicious helped her put it on. (Like the real gentlemen we know he is) He opened the door and let her go in front of himself. It had begun to rain, and it was coming down hard.   
  
Celest wrapped her coat about herself and shivered a little bit.   
  
"Remember, 9:00 p.m. tomorrow. I will be there to make sure you don't mess this up, although you may not see me." Vicious said quickly. "Here is my card...don't bother to call if you get caught...the syndicate will not claim you as one of their own, so don't even try."  
  
"So why are you giving it to me?" She asked shivering.  
  
Suddenly a car pulled up, she could only assume that is was a syndicate car, he gave her one last look, and without answering he got in, and the car sped away.  
  
"Hn...." She said dejectedly. She had asked one of the valets to pick up her car, when he got there she quickly got in, and didn't bother tipping him. She was not in the mood.  
  
She reached her garage at around 11:30. She ran up to her 6th story flat, and fumbled for her keys. Then she noticed it...Her apartment wasn't locked, and the door was opened just a crack....  
A/N: Sorry for the EXTREME OOCness on Vicious. He's too sweet, and I think he talked too much. Oh Well, I try harder next time! Please read and review! 


	4. The Dream

Disclaimer:  
  
Don't own...blah blah blah, I'm poor, get it?  
  
A/N: First off, sorry this is late, I just haven't been that motivated to write, I'll try to keep up with it from now on!   
  
Thanks to kb, Bethanie, Maruken and Vez for your reviews, it means a lot to get constructive criticism. Remember all those potential reviewers out there, always tell us how we can improve! Also Vez, I will try in the future to not make a "Julia replacement," I don't want that, so I will try harder next time! Thanks!  
  
*Blah blah blah*= The Dream sequence  
  
Chapter 3: The Dream  
  
Last Time:  
  
She reached her garage at around 11:30. She ran up to her 6th story flat, and fumbled for her keys. Then she noticed it...her apartment wasn't locked, and the door was opened just a crack...  
  
On with the show:  
  
  
  
"Dammit..." she whispered. She felt a wave of anxiety wash over her as she cautiously pushed the door open. "What the fu-?" she asked herself. Her apartment was destroyed. Her living room, her bedroom, her office, her kitchen, all of it was ransacked.  
  
As she stepped lightly throughout her apartment, she had a feeling of violation that was quickly replaced by an unsurpassable amount of loathing. Because that was when she saw it...the only item in her life that meant something. It was a picture. The only remaining picture of her mother she owned. The syndicate had taken everything from her mother, and now the only thing she cherished in her life was destroyed.  
  
She suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline when she thought that maybe someone was still in her house. She reached around to the back of her coat. There was a secret pocket that no one ever noticed. She pulled out her gun, ready to kill anyone who got in her way.  
  
When she went through the rest of her apartment she noticed something strange. Something she never would have expected, nothing was missing. "That's odd..." She was expecting her money, or something to be stolen, but it was all there.   
  
  
  
She finished searching the rooms...no one. Other than her apartment being ruined, they left no other sign that anyone had been there. When she had a thought...  
  
"If those Red Dragons did this, there'll be hell to pay." She reached into her pocket and retrieved Vicious' card, walked into the kitchen, got her phone and dialed the number. After the first ring was done she heard breathing on the other end.  
  
She gritted her teeth and slowly spoke into the phone "What the fuck have you and your cronies done to my apartment?" She never let her anger show, but this was going to have to be an exception. Thinking about her mother's picture only fueled it more.  
  
"Miss Knight, already having trouble, I see..." Vicious said calmly, chuckling a little bit, although he could hear the apprehension in her voice.  
  
"When did you do it, huh? When did you ransack my apartment?" She asked a little calmer than before...  
  
"Listen, I don't know what you are talking about?" His calm demeanor was almost sickening to Celest.  
  
"If it wasn't you, then who was-..." Then it hit her, why didn't she think of it before? She was silent.  
  
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Vicious' House:  
  
  
  
After a long pause, Vicious asked, "Miss knight? Are you there?"   
  
"Yes, good night Vicious...I'll see you at nine..."   
  
He heard the click of the phone as she hung up, "Of course..." He said quietly into the phone, he smiled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Back at the apartment:  
  
Celest decided that she should clean up a little bit, she couldn't sleep now. So she went around to each room and picked up what she could before she couldn't stay up any longer. She went into her bedroom, dragged herself to her dresser, and got out her pajama shorts and a sports bra. After putting her clothes in the "dirty clothes" pile. She went and climbed into her bed and picked up her pillow, making sure her switchblade was there.  
  
Satisfied, she laid down and fell into a restless sleep.  
  
*There he was, her target, the one she was hired to dispose of. He was at a meeting, as expected, with many important syndicate leaders. She hadn't seen Vicious anywhere but knew he was there, watching her every move. As she prepared her rifle, she had the target in sight and there was a clear shot...she began to squeeze the trigger...  
  
Suddenly she heard a gun go off and instantly felt the worst pain she had ever felt course through her. She didn't know what was happening. She looked down to see a pool of blood forming around her she saw that it was from a gun-shot wound to her stomach. Another shot was heard and this one went to her left shoulder. She cried out in pain, and began to fall backwards...everything was moving so slow and she could hear the sound of multiple guns going off around her and just before she landed on her back she saw him, and knew immediately it was him...he had betrayed her...*  
  
Celest woke up with a start. She was doused in sweat and breathing hard. She looked to her stomach and her shoulder...all was well.   
  
As she began to slow her breathing, she got out of bed for a glass of refreshing water. When she entered the kitchen, she got a glass from the cupboard and filled it. As she was about to take a sip there was a knock on the door...  
  
Celest was so spooked, she dropped her glass of water and it shattered into pieces. She looked around and noticed one of her steak knives on the counter close to her. She hurriedly picked it up and went to the entrance hall.   
  
On the floor by her door, she noticed a slip of folded paper. She saw no feet or any other objects under the door. Assessing that no one was there she cautiously walked to the door and picked up the note and unfolded it... 


	5. The Note

Disclaimer:

Seriously I don't own Cowboy Bebop…so don't sue…;) (Blah Blah) Reminiscing

Chapter 4: The Note

Last Time:

Assessing that no one was there, she cautiously walked to the door and picked up the paper and unfolded it…

On with the show:

There was a sloppy note written on the paper.

'Don't follow in your parents' footsteps…

Be wise, leave now!

A friend

"Who the hell…" Celeste read the note twice to be sure it said what it said. It was signed 'A friend' who was that? How did they know about her parents? How did they know what had happened to them? And how did they know about her doing a job for the Red Dragons?

Whoever wrote the note obviously had done their homework. Celeste had no friends here, or anyone who would give a damn about her.

She went back to the kitchen and returned the steak knife to the holder. "What is going on?" Celeste asked herself.

She decided to leave the note alone…for all she knew, that note was just a prank that some kid was playing on her. The comment about her parents was really getting to her though. The person who wrote the note can't have known about her family, and it would have been an absolute coincidence had they guessed.

No one from the Red Dragons would have written the note, because they wanted her to do the job for them. Then the thought of the person who wrote the note being the same person who ransacked her apartment, and she gasped… "Can't be…he found me again?" Celeste couldn't shake off the feeling she was being watched.

("Celeste, you know I love you…don't you?" asked Philip quietly. "Whatever Phil…how am I supposed to trust you now…?" Celeste answered while spitting in his face. "I did what I needed to…you of all people should understand why I needed to do it…" Philip said, calmly wiping the spit off of his face. "You killed my parents! You bastard! Why are you doing this? What did they pay you, huh?" Celeste couldn't help but scream these last words.

"You don't need to know what the White Tigers paid me…although it was a hefty sum, I might add…" Philip said with a cold edge on his voice. "Why don't you fight me…? Why don't you untie me and fight like a man, you petty piece of shit!" For that Celeste got a hard slap in the face. She was getting seriously hostile at the situation that she had gotten herself into about 14 hours ago. Without a bathroom break or sleep…she had had enough, but she wouldn't break, she needed to stay strong no matter what he did.)

Celeste shuddered with a foul taste in her mouth. She had done so well to forget…or so she thought. She had escaped although narrowly, evidenced by the scars on her body. She had been shot three times. Phil wasn't there when she escaped…she had been able to charm one of her guards into letting her use the restroom. She hadn't gotten away without a fight.

Celeste felt her chest and abdomen where the scars were. They were scars that she had kept…to remind her of what she went through, and what she was capable of.

She breathed a heavy sigh. She told herself she was trying to forget, but then why did she keep the scars? She had the opportunity and the money to have them removed…so what was she doing to herself.

The phone rang, yanking Celeste out of her reverie and planting her firmly in reality. She picked up the phone and steadied her voice. "Hello?" she asked.

"Celeste? Is that you?" It was Vicious. "Yes." She said shortly. "You were shaky last night and I wanted to make sure you weren't backing out of the deal." Vicious said. "Of course not…I acted rash and I want you to know that it will never happen again." Celeste said honestly. She wasn't going to let it happen again. "Good, because you know that we will not have a shaky, emotional woman doing hits for the Red Dragons." Vicious said forcefully. " I wouldn't do that, and you can count on me to complete the job." She said coldly.

"See you at 9:00 tonight." Vicious said ending the conversation and hung up before Celeste could say anything else. "What a cold bastard…" Celeste said under her breath after hanging up the phone.

Celeste needed to relax, she had a huge job to do later on. She went to the bathroom and started the water in the tub. She added her favorite bubble bath, took off her clothes and stepped into the tub. She began to relax immediately when she sat down. The water was calming and she felt all of her muscles begin to unclench.


End file.
